Sarah Rodrigues explores Milan through a Devil Wears Prada lens, sharing the chicest places to stay, feast, and sip coffee in style.
The long-awaited sequel to The Devil Wears Prada is finally on our screens, reuniting the original cast twenty years after Miranda Priestly’s withering contempt made Meryl Streep even more of an icon than she already was (if such a thing is possible).
The new release sees Andy (Anne Hathaway) returning to Runway in a features editor role, but that’s not to say that she doesn’t get to visit one of the fashion capitals of the world - Milan. And while Fashion Week is already over for this year, fashion is a constant, not a calendar event, in this glamorous Italian hotbed of style. It is, after all, the home of the sciura - the archetypal Milanese woman known for her impeccable dress sense and attention to quality, detail and elegance.
If you want to immerse yourself in sophistication and quiet luxury, Milan is your city.
“That’s all.”
Where to stay
Four Seasons Hotel Milano
Located squarely within the Fashion District and close to the Duomo, the occupants of the Four Season’s Hotel Milano were once very different from its guests today. Once a 15th century convent, this is where the fashion mavens, editors and CEOs stay during fashion week, and a go-to for the well-heeled. Expect luxurious modernity, blending seamlessly with carefully retained fragments of the past, such as ancient frescoes and cavernous fireplaces. Most of the 118 rooms and suites are arranged around a peaceful, verdant courtyard, which makes you feel miles from the city, even though most of the main sights are within a 10-minute walk.
Behind one of the oldest seminaries on Corso Venezia - thus within easy reach of the Fashion District - Portrait Milano is arranged around a quiet piazza, with 73 rooms and suites offering guests an exceptional level of refined luxury and serenity. Indeed, if your idea of serenity doesn’t include venturing out into the busy streets of the city, there’s a collection of beautifully curated boutique under the colonnade, including concept store Antonia, and the Maria-Sole Ferragamo boutique, showcasing her fashion-forward, eco-conscious leather jewellery.
Via Montenapoleone is Milan’s most exclusive street, so is it any wonder that this impossibly polished hotel is situated within easy reach of it? If you need a break from the nearby Fashion District and main sights, then the muse (and some tranquility) can be sought either in Giardino Botanico or the Renaissance Art-filled Pinacoteca di Brera, both a short walk away. There’s an elegant spa and a private garden, while the sophisticated restaurant and bar buzz year-round with sophisticated Milanesi, who come for cocktails - and, of course, the odd bit of peacocking. Bedrooms feature earthy palettes and natural materials, which provide a backdrop to the artwork, featuring mid-century sketches of Bulgari jewellery, while branded toiletries infuse the granite and travertine bathrooms with their heady scent.
Housed within a former train station, old steamer trunks nod to this hotel’s past, as does a dressmaker’s mannequin: in one of its incarnations, the Avani was fashion house Moschino’s HQ. The rooms are suitably slick and functional, and the restaurant terrace bright and convivial but where this hotel really shines is in its guest experiences. From touring the city in a vintage Fiat 500 with a suave local, to embarking on a vintage fashion shopping tour or creating bespoke cosmetics, the Avani Palazzo Moscava Milan does ‘fashionable’ extremely well.
The one-and-only ‘Golden Rectangle of fashion is where it all begins in Milan, with flagship boutiques including Chanel, Gucci and Prada. Stroll along Via Montenapoleone for high-end jewellery, including Bulgari and Patek Philippe, as well as designers such as Fendi and Valentino, and take a side-step into the quieter Via della Spiga, where an artisanal past is reflected in the continued presence of small, specialised stores alongside flamboyant designer brands. Window shopping and people watching are every bit as good as a trip to the theatre, but if you want to feel that you’re a part of the performance, rather than a mere spectator, book a private shopping tour with a local. Alternatively, go to the ‘guest services’ page of your preferred boutique to arrange a private shopping experience.
La Rinascente
No fewer than ten swoon-worthy floors make up this centrally located department store, with everything from clothing to beauty products, and from luxe homewares to gourmet groceries available. Sign up for a Rinascente card before your visit, and you’ll be able to access the services of a personal shopper, too. Once you’re laden with bags, pop on your new Ferragamo sunglasses and make your way to the terrace to refuel with an aperitivo or light lunch, with the upper reaches of Il Duomo right before your classily shaded eyes.
Linking La Scala theatre with Il Duomo, this glittering 19th century arcade is much more than a passageway, and demands to be wandered through slowly and admiringly. Its domed glass ceiling and decorative mosaics draw your eye upwards, even as luxury boutiques and old-school restaurants wrestle for your attention at ground level. Be sure to browse the Bocca bookstore, a presence in the city for almost 100 years. And as if the sights and smells of the Galleria weren’t dizzying enough, tradition requires you to stand on the testicles of the bull at the centre of the floor mosaic and spin clockwise three times on your heel: it will bring you good fortune.
Known as Milan’s Design District, this neighbourhood has a decidedly artsy, boho-chic feel - expect indie boutiques and concept stores rather than well known luxury brands. Step into the wonderfully curated Cavalli e Nastri, a vintage store where you’ll find pre-loved Pucci dresses alongside Hermès bags, as well as a jewellery selection guaranteed to summon up your inner magpie. There’s also a range of dapper menswear and homewares. Time your visit for the third Sunday of the month, and you’ll be able to catch the Brera antiques market along Via Fiori Chiari and Via Madonnina, crammed with finds ready to be discovered and loved in a new life.
The Navigli District
Tear yourself away from central Milano in the knowledge that this district, ribboned with canals, is worth the 15-minute taxi ride. As well as being a gorgeous place to sit with a waterside Negroni, this is where you’ll find an array of shops to suit every style and budget - perfect if your vibe is more edgy than polished. Try Bivio Milano and Banzai19, as well as SousVintage - you’re likely to find anything from exquisite tailoring and classic leather to retro streetwear and denim.
Where to Eat & Drink
Bice
Elegance is the order of the day at this Milanese stalwart, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. As well as local classics, such as veal ossobuco, this menu draws heavily from Tuscan cuisine, acknowledging the roots of its founder, Beatrice Mungai, the eldest of ten children in a farming family: the restaurant is now run by her granddaughters. Old school decor, complete with oil paintings and tartan floor coverings, create an impression of quiet luxury, which is beloved by the likes of stylist, models and celebrities: it’s said that you have to book at least a month in advance during Fashion Week.
Located in the heart of the Brera neighbourhood, Trattoria del Ciumbia serves up modern Milanese dishes in an interior that conjures up a nostalgic, glamorous, mid-century vibe. Designed by Dimorestudios, the intention was to “reinterpret the soul of the Milanese trattoria” - and it works seamlessly with a reimagined menu, which elevates regional staples like saffron-tinted risotto to something worth loosening your belt a notch for. Well, perhaps Miranda would beg to differ.
The clue is in the name: in this gilded and much beloved restaurant, seafood is very much the order of the day - and a lively atmosphere is further fuelled by an exceptional cocktail list. Diners are encouraged to dress elegantly, and have the option of choosing à la carta or indulging in the six-course tasting menu - plus, there’s a tempting oyster and raw bar.
Grabbing a quick but chic bite on the go is essential when exploring Milan. An espresso must be downed while standing at the bar - for this, try Bar Quadronno, widely regarded as the city’s first late-night sandwich stop (so much more elegant than a New York hotdog or London kebab!) or Panino Giusto, which has a number of locations in the city and is beloved by magazine editors with barely a moment between appointments.
Apertivo Culture
More than a Milanese ritual, the taking of an aperitivo once the clock strikes 6pm is practically an institution. Whether you imbibe on rooftop, such as the centrally located A’Riccione Terrazza12 or the Armani Hotel’s Bamboo Bar, or sip by the Navigli canals, this is an experience to be savoured, not rushed. And if you want to get right back to the source, head to Bar Basso - the birthplace of the famous Negroni Sbagliato.
See Cerulean
Who could forget Miranda’s ruthless deconstruction of Andy’s blue sweater in the film’s first iteration?
Well, the much-maligned piece gets another showing in the remake and, as much as Milan may have a reputation for being unrelentingly grey, you only have to look a little harder to find its blues. Venture inside Il Duomo to witness light filtering in through its blue stained glass windows, and look for the rich blues adorning paintings of the Virgin Mary. Since the pigment required for blue paint was traditionally difficult and expensive to obtain, it was used only for the most special of figures. For a more modern take on colour, go for a stroll on Via Lincoln: also known as Milan’s Burano, it features many-hued edifices, some of which are soft shades of blue.
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